If all goes according to plan, Jim DeMint has run his last race

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., tells National Journal that his current term will be his last:

NJ Any regrets about not getting into the presidential race?

DeMINT No; it’s just not an ambition of mine.

NJ What is your ambition?

DeMINT My hope is to elect five or 10 more solid conservatives and go home and rock on my front porch.

NJ This is your last term?

DeMINT Yeah. It was not a campaign promise; but that is my plan, that the election last year was my last one. It has always been my plan not to serve more than two terms.

DeMint was just reelected in 2010 so his current term does run all the way through 2016. But even then, it is hard to imagine him disappearing entirely. In his six short years in the Senate so far, he has already moved the Republican caucus visibly to the right. Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., all were helped by DeMint endorsements. When 2017 does roll around, conservatives will miss him dearly.

UPDATE: DeMint aide emails to say DeMint “plan” has been for 2010 to be his last race. But DeMint “hasn’t ruled out” a 2016 run either.